Relief For Puerto Rico

$139,467
of $650,000 goal

Founded by Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón of the legendary Rock Steady Crew, Rock Steady For Life (RSFL) is committed to helping the people of Puerto Rico in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Maria and beyond. RSFL is a fiscally-sponsored nonprofit started in September 2017. With the help of Red Bull, Waves For Water, artists of the Puerto Rican diaspora—Puerto Rico Rob, DJ Tony Touch, DJ G-Bo The Pro, DJ Enuff—and the Port Morris Distillery, RSFL has:

- Provided 200,000 people all over the island with access to clean drinking water, in partnership with Waves For Water and Red Bull- Provided 3000 solar lamps to inland areas and the deaf community on the island, in partnership with MPOWERD and Off-The-Grid Missions- Helped facilitate over 900,000 lbs. of relief goods and supplies to the west side of island- Provided hygienic supplies, basic meds and antibiotics to families on the island- Raised funds for the purchase of solar power for the Boys & Girls Club of Puerto Rico, in partnership with The 86 Company- Donated funds to El Departameto de la Comida, Visit Rico and Pura Emuna to support sustainable local agriculture and food sovereignty- Provided 650+ new toys and games used for rehabilitation to children with disabilities and autism at SER de Puerto Rico, whose toys were destroyed due to flooding after the hurricane- Donated funds to Today, I’m Brave’s 100Roofs Project to rebuild roofs for families whose homes are still under blue tarps, and to empower young people with carpentry skills to rebuild for themselves and their communities

As we continue our mission, we are now focused on creating a stronger and more sustainable infrastructure on the island by providing solar power to all 12 of the Boys & Girls Club’s clubhouses in Puerto Rico. With solar power, each club can better serve its community, act as a safe space during a crisis and provide access to clean water—without having to rely on electricity. This will also help maintain a sense of normalcy for children and their families during uncertain times. Additionally, with over 240 schools closed since Hurricane Maria, the Boys & Girls Club’s educational and career-development programs are more important than ever! 89% of the children and youth they serve live in poverty. But by providing the necessary tools, opportunities and nurturing to become leaders, and reach their academic, personal and professional goals, Clubs empower kids to create their own economic security and break the generational cycle of poverty.

So how much does it cost to equip one clubhouse with solar energy? About $370,000. This is our largest undertaking yet, but we believe in the power and strength of numbers—TOGETHER, we can do this! Our plan is to work on one clubhouse at a time, starting with the location in the Villa Prades sector in Río Piedras (coincidentally, Río Piedras also happens to be where Colón’s father was born and raised).

THANK YOU to everyone who has donated and supported! None of this would be possible without you and words can’t express our gratitude. We hope you’ll help us spread the word and invite more individuals and corporations to support this ever-important mission. Que Viva Puerto Rico!!!

All funds and withdrawals are managed by Richard "Crazy Legs" Colón. RSFL is committed to full transparency of where these funds are being allocated and will post regularly as we deliver donations. All funds (except for those that must go toward Go Fund Me fees) have and will go directly to helping the people of Puerto Rico. No contributions are spent on our organization’s operational costs or personal expenses.

Hey everyone,
I want to personally invite you to a very special Rock Steady For Life event happening on April 18 in New York City, and to give you an opportunity to reserve your spot before anyone else. Please check GoFundMe.com/RSCforLife on Thursday, March 28 @ 10:00AM EST for all of the event details and to be amongst the first to RSVP. Your contribution is what has made all of our efforts possible, so I really hope you can make it if you're in the New York area.

Hey everyone,
Here’s an update on our progress in Puerto Rico. We arrived on the island on 1/16/18 and checked in on the Boys & Girls Club of PR in Llorens Torres, one of the several clubs that your generous donations will benefit from. The club has power and water so, after some consideration, they have decided to spend the funds they received from us on solar energy rather than a large generator (there are still regular rolling blackouts in areas that have power). We agree that this is the right move. We also discussed giving them an additional $2000 or so to get them a water cistern tank, which will guarantee that the kids always have clean drinking water. If you could see the smiles and spirts of the kids that utilize the club, you would be touched. The difference the Boys & Girls Club is making on their lives is undeniable. Through the organization’s education, programs and mentorship, they are creating a new generation of empowered, forward-thinking young individuals—something Puerto Rico really needs. The club in Llorens Torres serves about 500 kids.

We also partnered with Anna Figueroa of Rising4PR, who raised funds to buy toys for children here. With the help of our friends Jansy Gonzalez and Michael Guitierez, whose connections here enabled us all to connect the dots, we were able to purchase and donate hundreds of toys and games used for rehabilitation to SER de Puerto Rico in San Juan and Ponce. SER provides medical, therapeutic and educational services to people with disabilities and autism. Their toys were destroyed from the flooding caused by hurricane Maria. Each kid also received an extra toy for themselves.

We continue to purchase and distribute much-needed water filtration systems, through our partnership with Waves For Water, throughout the island. Last week, we gave 34 systems to a housing community called Juan Garcia Duco in Aguadilla, where 480 people will now have access to clean drinking water. We also gave 9 systems to family and friends/community leaders in Aguada, who will ensure that the access to clean water is spread amongst Aguada and Utuado. That’s what’s so effective about these systems—one can go a VERY long way. It also helps prevent the enormous amount of waste (a new problem on the island) from plastic water bottles.

Lastly, we are planning to make another donation to El Departamento de la Comida for the implementation of rain catch systems for local farmers. This will help to support sustainable farming here on the island. Why is this so important? 98% of the produce sold in Puerto Rico is imported and ridiculously taxed, making it unaffordable for most people. Supporting local farmers will not only help reestablish PRs agriculture industry, it creates financial independence, avoids the unfair import laws (Jones Act), allows people access to affordable organic produce, which in turn promotes healthier eating habits.

We will continue to keep you all updated on our progress. Thank you all SO MUCH for your continued support. We couldn’t do any of this without you!!

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share the recent coverage on our hurricane relief efforts by NBC World News: Visiones (link below). The story came out on Jan. 6 and we are extremely thankful for the continued coverage and support. We couldn't do any of this without you and your generous donations, so on behalf of everyone involved in this ever-important, ongoing mission, THANK YOU!

We will be headed to Puerto Rico again within the next few weeks and will keep you all posted on our progress. The need for clean water—amongst many other basic necessities for survival— is, unfortunately, still dire, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help the island and the people. I've said it before and I'll say it again: TOGETHER we can and will do this!

Hi Everyone,
We just past the $125,000 goal! Thank you for all of your support. We've been able to get a lot done with very little. We know how important it is for all of the donors to know your donations are being spent wisely. We also feel the same way.

Now here's the question. Do we keep it going and raise the goal or do we call it a day? I'm guessing that we keep going and keep helping the people of Puerto Rico.

However, I would like to hear from all of you. Whether you've donated or not, let me know your thoughts. I'm ready to keep going. So just say the word and we will raise the goal and take helping Puerto Rico to the next level.
#SupportPuertoRico